A/N: Okay, this story has lagged enough. The reason I've taken forever to post this chapter because I'm hoping that it'll fire the story back in its place! Again, I'd like to thank you all for your kindness and patience with the story and I, you all rock! :D

Warning/Reminder: This chapter does have a lemon, if you are against/despise them I recommend you skip this chapter, you HAVE been warned. It's not too detailed if that makes you feel better! I don't want to be too much of a perve! XP

Disclaimer: All character rights go to Square Soft/Enix, I only own Nora :P

Twenty: Into The Frying Pan

I wasn't expecting everyone's eyes on me, the next morning at school. I mean yeah, I've only lived here for a few months now but why were they still staring at me?

Moving my way down the crowded halls everyone would stop with whatever they were doing; making out, talking, organizing their lockers...to stare at me. Not look. Stare.

I came to a complete halt to stare back, I wanted to move but it was like my joints were frozen solid. Like I've been hypnotized, trapped...like a wild animal caged in at the zoo sitting at the back of its cage while all the little children laugh and throw things at it.

I was like that wild animal, however...I had no idea what the cause was.

Rumors? Probably.

No, rumors DEFINITELY.

A pair of warm and strong hands grabbed at my hips. I yelped and whirled around, it was only Roxas. God, he has GOT to stop sneaking up and scaring me like that!

I looked up at him helplessly like a lost puppy. He wore a dark sleeveless vest, showing off every square inch of muscle that he had along with his black skinny jeans and sneakers. His eyes were ice-cold, but they weren't focused on me, I'm sure you can guess where.

"Is there a problem here?" He sneered at our staring peers, his grip tightening protectively around me. He stepped closer, until he wasn't an inch behind me.

Everyone remained silent but started looking away, some running.

"Hmph, that's what I thought." Roxas said, speaking more to himself.

He released his hands from my hips and took one of my hands in his own. "Let's get to class, babe."

"Wait." I tugged him back towards me.

He turned around and looked down at me indiscreetly, Now I know something's up.

"There is something going on with me, I know you know and I want to know now."

Roxas blinked, surprised at the tone of my voice, and to be honest I was too. I never took charge, only when it comes to looking after Nora.

Roxas stared down at me for a few moments before taking my hand and leading me down the halls once more.

"Wait! I asked you a question!" I nearly shouted, I didn't care if anyone was looking at me. I already looked bad, according to everyone else.

"Shh, keep your voice down." Roxas spoke in nearly a hiss as he pulled me into a corner behind a staircase. The faint noises of laughter and footsteps surrounded us from the second floor.

"I want to know what's going on!" I yelled in a whisper.

The corner was so tight, that we were practically sandwiched together.

"Someone found out that you're now living with me..."

"WHAT!? Who?"

"Shhh!" Roxas put a hand over my mouth to shut me up. He looked around to make sure that nobody was there, and there wasn't.

He looked down at me with an inquisitive expression, He didn't know either? Great.

"Now everyone's going to think I'm a whore!" I said, trying my best to keep my voice down but I knew that I was failing.

"Who cares what people think." Roxas said, brushing my bangs out from my eyes. "We know the truth and that's all that matters. If anyone gives you a hard time, then you tell me and I'll handle it, promise?"

"But I-"

Roxas cut me off with a deep kiss that sent my toes curling.

He pulled away slightly so that his lips still hovered over mine.

"Promise?" He whispered, bumping his nose playfully against mine.

I nodded. "I promise."

He kissed me again. "Good."

"We better get to class..." I mumbled, looking down at our feet so he would not see me blushing like a fool.

His husky laugh only made it worse. "As you wish, Princess."

I fumed at him. "I'm not a princess, that's Kairi!"

Roxas laughed again as he took my hand in his. "There can be more than one Princess you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Right. I'm your Princess, and you're my Prince!"

Roxas scoffed. "Hell no, I'm your Knight in Shinning Armor!"

I smiled. "That you are, Roxas. You'll always be there for me when ever I'm in a bind."

Roxas smirked down at me "Did you know that's the same thing my mom told my dad?"

"Oh?" How awkward...

"Hey, you!"

Before I could turn around I was shoved up against a wall. I cried out as sharp nails dug deeply into my back. They were so sharp they felt like claws...razors even...

"I've warned you Namine." The voice whispered coldly into my ear. "I've warned you but you didn't listen. No, you took control and had to do things your way!"

Xion.

"Let me go." I snarled, causing me to get shoved harder into the wall.

"You think it's cool stealing other people's boyfriends, do you?" She growled.

Oh she is totally psycho.

"He's your EX, Xion...you know that!"

She laughed. "You wish honey."

Alright, I've had it.

I snapped my head back, smacking her in the face from behind and grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her against the wall, however I didn't see her raised fist, she slugged me right across the face before I could dodge it. I fell to my knees and held a hand over my throbbing cheek.

She bent down so that we were eye level and unzipped her boot to pull out her knife. The Knife that I had completely forgotten about...but how can you forget about a knife!?

"You're very lucky we're on school grounds, or their would be blood spurting from your neck at this very second." She snarled. "When you mess with the bad guy, you pay the price. You tell anyone about this then you're dead.You're little sister too." She slipped her knife back into her boot before getting up to her feet.

She smiled at me. "Have a nice day."

(Roxas)

Namine was quieter than usual on the way home after school. I glanced over at her, her hands were folded in her lap and she was looking down at her feet. I slowly placed a hand on her knee before I brought my focus back on the road.

"Everything okay?" I asked her.

She was silent for a few moments before she replied.

"No...I'm in trouble, Roxas...someone wants me dead...actually two people want me dead!"

I frowned at that, I knew that two people wanted ME dead, were they the same people.

"Who?" I asked, trying to keep calm but the thought of someone trying to hurt my Namine...

"My father...and Xion..."

I clenched my jaw. No surprise on her father since he is a complete psycho...and I should have known about Xion since she's so obsessed with me, yet she wants to kill me too...

"Xion wants to kill me too, her and one of my biggest foes of all time..." I said as I took the turn to my street a little to sharply.

"Who is it?" Namine asked, I could hear the panic in her voice.

Aw, shit. I should have just kept my mouth shut, well to late now.

"Siefer." I replied with a roll of my eyes.

Namine gasped. "H-he's my ex boyfriend!"

I nearly crashed into my fathers motorcycle as I pulled into the garage. I managed to stay calm before I turned the car off. I looked at her sharply, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"What?" I barked, "Please tell me you're joking!?"

She stayed silent.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Well, at least she said ex.

"Come on, let's get inside." I said, opening the door.

Namine stayed silent as we walked up to our room but she did take my hand. I stopped at our door and looked at her behind my shoulder, she looked like she was going to cry, It was probably all my fault too.

"Hey, I'm not mad at you sweetheart." I said turning around to cup her face in my hands. "Everything's going to be okay...alright? We're going to be fine. I promise you."

"But...how?" She whispered looking up at me, her eyes watering.

I bend down to kiss her forehead. "Because I won't let anyone hurt you."

Namine pulled away from my hands to rub her eyes. I took her by the hand gently and turned the knob with my other. "What you need is a good na-VENTUS!? What the hell are you doing here!?" I growled once I found Ventus lying on his bed with his eyes glued to his 3DS.

"Playing Pokémon." He replied bluntly without looking up from the screen.

"What? You're suppose to be with Mom and everyone at Denzel's baseball practice!" I nearly shouted.

"It's just practice, it's not like an actual game!" He replied rolling over onto his stomach, his eyes boring into the screen.

"Yeah, but you were all going to go out to dinner after!"

"Meh...I'm getting sick of ribs." Ventus replied.

I seriously wanted to punch him. "Dude! Who said you had to get ribs EVERY SINGLE TIME!?"

"Vanitas. You know how he loves the extra leftovers."

"Then you better get going..." I paused to look up at the clock on my wall. "Because there's only forty-five minutes left, and it's a fifteen minute walk there!"

Ventus scoffed. "I'm trying to play Pokémon! Why aren't YOU at his practice!?"

"BECAUSE Namine and I have lots of studying to do! So Play your stupid game at the field! Now go!" I demanded, not caring at all about how much of an asshole I sounded.

"Alright, fine." Ventus snarled as he shut off his 3DS. "But you owe me one!"

"Yeah, yeah...whatever!" I replied shoving him out of the room and slamming the door shut hard behind him. I turned back over to Namine, she was lounging on our bed. I gave her a soft smile and walked over to her.

"Sorry about that." I replied with a slight chuckle.

Namine shrugged. "What studying do we have?"

I laughed as I joined her on my bed.

"We have none, darling." I replied with a laugh as I pulled her close to me. I nuzzled my nose against the side of her face, that was warm and soft. I heard her sigh as I stroked her blonde tresses.

"Roxas." She spoke my name in a soft whisper. I could hear the frightened tone in her voice and I knew that she was still thinking of her father, Siefer, and Xion. I knew that their was nothing that I could say that would comfort her, and of course I couldn't blame her for that since she's never faced anything like this before.

Slowly and carefully I laid her down on the bed, she looked up at me with her big blue eyes.

I smiled down at her as I bought a hand up to caress the side of her face, then down to her neck, past her shoulder and then at last her arm.

"Namine...do you love me?" I asked, moving my hand back up her arm and rubbing tiny circles into them with my thumb.

Her eyes questioned me. "Of course...Do you?"

"Yes." I replied, grinning at her. "Very much...do you trust me?"

"Yes, Roxas...where are you trying to go with this?"

"Shh..." I hovered over her and wrapped her up in my arms, holding her tight and close to me. "I just want to know for sure...before I hold you, here in my arms..." I planted a kiss on her temple. "Where you belong."

That's when I felt something wet hit the side of my neck, I look down at her to see that she's crying.

"Namine? Baby, don't cry...you're safe...please don't cry..." I said to her, almost begging. I couldn't help myself, it was killing me to see her this way. So torn apart and heartbroken. "I won't let anyone hurt you...or Nora. I promise you...you just have to trust me."

Namine looked up at me, tears running down her face, her shoulders bobbed with every little sob that escaped her mouth.

"Roxas...I'm...I'm so glad I found you...and if you can't protect both of us, please promise me...that you'll protect Nora..."

"Namine..."

"PLEASE!? Just please say you will...she's everything to me. Roxas, she's so young and helpless and she needs someone to look after her and if anything ever happened to me, if Xion kills me like she promised, she said she'd go after Nora too! If I die, she'll have nobody but an orphanage, she can't live at an orphanage. Roxas, please...look after her...for me..."

I wiped the tears of her cheeks with my thumbs and kissed them dry.

"Not just for you, for the both of you." I replied. "But hear me out, love, you and your sister are going nowhere."

That's when I was startled by the sudden contact of her lips colliding together with mine. It wasn't like her typical, sweet and gentle butterfly kisses. This kiss was strong and full of passion.

I felt a warmth shock my heart, it was funny because I've never felt that way when I was kissing anyone...even Xion.

This wasn't a crush, it was love.

I cupped her face in my hands and tilted my head slightly to get a better angle with her mouth without breaking the kiss, no. I wanted this to last for as long as we could. I wanted to live in this moment forever. There was nowhere I wanted to be at this moment, but here.

I slowly dropped my hands down to her thighs, reaching behind me to grasp her ankles to slowly wrap them around my waist. I wanted to take this slow, I didn't want her to think that I was pushing her with anything.

"Namine..." I whispered, breaking the kiss to look into her eyes.

She looked up at me with a contemplating expression.

"Is this what you want?" I asked feeling nervous all the sudden, I wasn't sure why...it wasn't like it was my first time...

Namine nodded. "I'm sure...but..."

"But?"

"Will it...you know...hurt?"

I sighed. "If this is your first time...then yes it will but not for to long..."

She looked at me but stayed silent. I knew she was afraid.

I leaned down and kissed her gently. "We don't have to do anything that you don't want too do. Namine, I love you for you and I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do...alright?" I cupped her cheek and stroked it gently with my thumb.

From how high my hormones were stirring now, I would kick them away for her if she wasn't ready.

I'd do anything for her.

(Namine)

Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her gently. "We don't have to do anything that you don't want too do. Namine, I love you for you and I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do...alright?"

I looked up in his eyes carefully to see there was a light in them, it wasn't lust. I know that I'm not very experienced with guys but that light in Roxas's eyes was love. I know it was.

If Roxas didn't love me, he wouldn't have fought of those guys for me back in the slums of Twilight Town the day Nora took off on me. He wouldn't off bought Nora a kitten, heck he wouldn't have been here for me all this time.

Silently, I slid my hands down to the edge of my shirt and curled my fingers around the hem. Roxas watched me with gently blue eyes as I slowly slid off my shirt. Then, next went my bra. I was surprised at how comfortable I felt being half-naked around Roxas. I also expected him to be feeling me everywhere and helping me undress, but no he just sat there in front of me watching patiently.

I knew that Mum always said to guard my virginity, to be smart with it and never just give it away to a guy who only wants you for his body. Roxas was not that man, in fact he was far from it.

"Well...what do you think?" I asked him in a faint whisper, now afraid to look back at him since I was now bare to him.

Roxas took my hands in his and gently brought them up to the zipper of his black sleeveless vest.

"You're beautiful, Namine." he whispered, guiding my hand to clutch the zipper.

I captured the sound of clothes rustling and the soft and gentle sound of Roxas breathing, I captured every gentle heart melting kiss touching my lips or somewhere else. The contact of flesh to flesh, nothing else between us. Or the agonizing pain that eventually turned to an incredible warmth when we finally became one.

It wasn't having sex, it was making love.

Showing each other how much we cared, how much we loved. Showing how that I was his and he was mine.

"Are you alright?" he asked me gently as he holds me close to him.

My face is buried in his warm and soft chest, I trace the hard and toned muscles with my fingertips. Smiling slightly to myself, overwhelmed at the fact that he was mine.

"Yes..." I replied, my smile growing wider. "Never better."

And I meant it.

"Rise and shine, you two! It's time to start another day!"

I groaned and rubbed the sleep from my eyes before looking up to see Ventus smiling at me on his bed from across the room.

That's when reality hit me.

"Oh sh-" I looked down and frantically moved my hands down to my chest that...wasn't exposed...

I looked over at Roxas to find that he wasn't there.

"Where's Roxas?" I asked slowly pushing the covers off me once I was sure that I was completely dressed. Roxas must have dressed me while I was asleep.

"He's downstairs making breakfast, he told me not to wake you and let you sleep the rest of the day...but I wasn't sure if you'd want to miss a day of school..." Ventus said with a shrug.

I laughed at his concern. "Thanks. I wouldn't want to give Nora that inspiration."

He laughed with me. "No problem, I'll leave you to get ready."

I slowly got up to my feet once Ventus shut the door behind him. I cringed and squatted down as the soreness between my legs fired up. It did hurt...like Roxas said but it was worth it.

I hurried over to the dresser to find myself some clothes, that's when I heard my cell phone ringing at the nightstand.

Thinking that it was Kairi, I instantly picked it up.

"Someone's been a naughty girl..."

My blood ran cold. It was my father.

"I know where you've been hiding, you can't run away from your father Namine. I'll always find you. So I suggest that you gather your things and get your ass home. You and Nora, and I wouldn't recommend telling anyone...that is...unless you'd like to LOOSE another person close to you!"

"You bastard!" I shouted, my entire body was shaking violently like I've been struck with lightning.

"You have three days, see you then sweetheart."

Then the line went dead, and if I didn't act soon then I would be too.

A/N: Hope it's sounding suspenseful...because it's going to be! :D